


To Have and to Hold

by NamelesslyNightlock



Series: Going Down Swinging [41]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Adorkable, Apples of Idunn, Attraction, Cuddling & Snuggling, Declarations Of Love, Domestic Fluff, Fake Marriage, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Feels, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Games, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Humor, Kissing, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mindless Fluff, Mortality Feels, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romantic Fluff, Shovel Talk, Soft Boys, Thor (Marvel) is Not Stupid, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22289740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: Tony didn’t expect Loki to propose to him. Since, you know. They weren’t even dating. But Loki seems to think that it’ll be fun– because, a prince of Asgard marrying a mortal? Why, just imagine thescandal.But if it’s only for a joke… then why does everything come so naturally?
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Going Down Swinging [41]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1330490
Comments: 65
Kudos: 810





	To Have and to Hold

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt** — _“I’m not drunk enough for this.”_

When Loki barged into Tony’s workshop and asked a rather jarring question, Tony was _sure_ that he must have misheard. He paused in his work, put down his tool, and turned to pin Loki with a hard stare.

“I’m sorry,” Tony said, his voice very, very calm. “Could you repeat that?”

“Will you marry me?” Loki asked, accompanying the sentence with one of his trademarked eye-rolls. “Honestly, Stark, I know that Midgardian hearing begins to disappear as you reach a certain age, but I didn’t think you were _that_ old by human standards—”

“I am in the prime of my life, thank you very much,” Tony snapped. “You know, you’re not really selling yourself here—”

“I think it could be rather fun,” Loki said. “Everyone on Asgard hates humans—”

“Yes, that’s definitely a way to make me want to marry someone _from Asgard—_ ”

“—the scandal would be talked about for decades, if not centuries. Just imagine, a prince of the realm getting married to a _mortal—”_

“Are you actually serious about this?” Tony asked. “This isn’t a joke?”

“Of course,” Loki said, having the gall to look affronted, as if Tony had offended him. “I am deadly serious. Besides, this wouldn’t _just_ be fun, it would benefit you as well. You would also gain the title of prince, which would not only grant you permission to enter Asgard but would also give you access to many other resources the Nine has to offer. There is a lot that people are willing to do to please a prince, even a mortal one who gained his title through me.” Loki grinned, and leaned forward. “Just imagine all of the ways we could make them squirm.”

Tony stared at Loki for a moment. Loki stared back, patient, apparently willing to wait for Tony to come to his decision.

His decision on whether or not he wanted to _marry Loki_.

God.

“I’m not drunk enough for this,” Tony said flatly.

“You’re not drunk at all,” Loki pointed out.

Tony jabbed a finger in Loki’s direction, entirely not caring that he was being rude. “Exactly. And if I’m going to have to listen to you propose to me as if this is some kind of business transaction—”

“Would you have preferred me to be more romantic? I could try again—”

“—then I am going to need to change that. _Immediately_.”

“Very well,” Loki said, getting to his feet and brushing down his coat. And Tony was already half breathing his sigh of relief amongst a well-hidden pang of disappointment, thinking that Loki had given up, when– “Then shall we retire to your penthouse, or would you prefer a bar? I do believe you still owe me a drink, after all.”

Tony groaned and put on a show of dragging his feet, but he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t drawn in by the smirk that curled at Loki’s lips when he realised that Tony was agreeing to go with him.

And besides, Loki was right. It _did_ sound like it could be fun.

It couldn’t hurt to entertain the idea for at least one night of drinks and conversation, right?

—

Okay, so maybe, when Tony said that he would be more amenable to Loki’s proposal when he was drunk… maybe he should have specified that he hadn’t meant it as a challenge.

Tony woke up the next morning with Loki in his bed, a ring on his finger, and the vague memory of wearing a suit and teleporting to Malibu to kidnap an ordained minister who would marry them on the beach, because apparently Loki had decided to go all out on the whole romance thing.

And as it all came flooding back, Tony groaned.

“Don’t worry, Stark,” Loki said, rolling his eyes again as he threw back the covers, revealing that they were, in fact, both still clothed. “I didn’t deflower you.”

“If you think I need to be deflowered, then I’m not sure this marriage is going to work, Reindeer Games,” Tony muttered, shoving the covers off the rest of the way and pushing to his feet. “There would simply be far too many misunderstandings between us.” They were in his bedroom in the Malibu house, thankfully– at least that probably meant that the rest of the Avengers were unaware of this clusterfuck.

Although… honestly, did it really matter? So Tony had married Loki. It wasn’t like he had anything to lose from this. Loki was already leeching off his resources, just like Thor and most of the other Avengers, so it wasn’t like he needed to worry about Loki stealing his wealth. They already lived in the same place and to be honest, Loki’s company wasn’t even all that bad.

It was better than waking up next to Steve, at least. God, okay, that would be a nightmare. But Loki?

He’d snorted at Tony’s stupid joke, and he seemed genuinely amused by Tony’s reaction– though there had been that touch of concern at first, until he was sure that Tony was okay. Maybe Tony had imagined that, but… he certainly wasn’t imagining the fact that he wasn’t hung over, despite the amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before. It was enough that it made him think that actually, this wasn’t the worst thing in the world. It was hardly even the worst thing he had ever done while drunk, for that matter, and it was certainly something he was more than capable of dealing with while keeping a genuine smile on his face.

After all, Loki had married him so they could enjoy themselves, right? So why should Tony mope about it? What was done was done, and he might as well just strap in for the ride.

“So, are you going to go up and tell Asgard about your new marital status?” Tony asked, raising his hands above his head and stretching out his back.

He noticed that Loki’s gaze was following the line of his spine, and he couldn’t help his smirk, especially when he had to clear his throat to get Loki’s attention.

“No,” Loki answered, his gaze flashing back to Tony’s unabashedly. “They would know that I wouldn’t. Especially my mother. She knows that I would not want to turn something this important to me into a piece of gossip for the sake of it.”

Tony frowned, confused. “But I thought that the whole point of this was to start the gossip,” he said.

“And if I let them know that, then it would defeat the entire purpose,” Loki pointed out. “For this to work, they have to believe that this is _real_ , or it will only turn into something else about me to mock.”

“Loki,” Tony said, his frown deepening. “If this is something that they could mock you for, then… why did you do it?”

“I told you,” Loki said, shrugging his shoulders. “It seemed like fun. If you want to put an end to this charade, Stark, just let me know. I will not hold you to it any longer than you wish me to.” He pushed off the bed himself, then, and moved toward the bathroom. But with those words, Loki had managed to make Tony more comfortable with the arrangement than Tony would have thought possible.

“You know,” Tony said, causing Loki to pause. “If we’re married, then you should probably call me by my first name. Oh hey, speaking of– does this mean that your name is Stark, too?”

“Loki Stark,” Loki said, as if testing how it felt on his tongue. “I suppose that it is at least preferable to any of my other names.”

Tony frowned for a moment. He knew that Thor went by _Odinson_ , and Tony knew that Loki was adopted, had originally been from a race of people that the Asgardians hated. If the naming system was the same there as it was to Asgard, Tony could see why Loki would prefer any other name to those. Which, you know, wasn’t all that flattering, but oh well.

“And I suppose that it is a fair exchange,” Loki said. “You have given me a name which holds power in Midgard, and on Asgard, you are now a prince.”

“I guess that makes us somewhat even, then,” Tony told him, trying not to think too hard about _that_ fact. Jesus. When he’d started the day yesterday, he never would have expected to wake up the next as a prince of an entire realm. That was, uh, something to deal with later. “But, seriously. When we’re talking to each other, first names. It’s just weird otherwise.”

“Very well,” Loki said. “ _Anthony_.”

Tony should have corrected him on that, but the way that Loki said it, turning over that extra syllable… well. It just made him want to hear it again, that was all.

—

They spent a couple days in Malibu in the end, taking the opportunity of just having some peace and quiet. JARVIS ordered them anything they wanted, and neither of them were particularly keen on going to deal with everyone else when they had the perfect excuse to stay away.

Tony still spent time in his workshop, fiddling both with the cars he had left behind and the projects he had saved on his servers. He even did a bit of paperwork, kept Pepper happy enough that she was willing to explain away his absence in several meetings he was supposed to attend. Loki sometimes disappeared to cause mischief or whatever else he was doing, and when he was home he often liked to read.

But they also did stuff together. That wasn’t anything new– they had spent time together back in the tower, having long since learned that they could keep up with and push each other to new limits the way that no one else could. They clashed but only in a way that raised them higher rather than dragging them down, and there was an understanding between them that Tony had long since come to cherish. He had thought of Loki as his friend for ages, and now that they were married, nothing had really changed.

And by the time they arrived back at the Tower, the ring on Tony’s finger was light enough that he hardly even noticed it anymore– but the Avengers sure did. It didn’t take them long, either, hardly even a second from the moment Loki and Tony walked into the kitchen to find them eating breakfast.

“Is that what I think it is?” Natasha asked, her gaze zeroing in on the metallic glint upon Tony’s left hand.

“Oh,” Tony said, lifting his hand to examine the ring himself. “Yeah. So we got married.”

Loki snorted– and so, surprisingly, did Clint.

Bruce, on the other hand, paused with his fork half way between his plate and his mouth. “Could you say that again?” he asked weakly.

“We are wed,” Loki echoed. “My name is now Loki Stark.”

“Wait,” Clint said, his voice raising an octave. “You’re _serious?”_

“Yes,” Tony told him. “It’s legal and everything. Now, do you mind if we join you? I’m starving.”

Tony didn’t even think about it as he grabbed Loki’s hand and tugged him toward the table so they could sit side by side, and it was only as he began to pile bacon onto Loki’s plate that he realised the other Avengers were all still staring at them.

“ _What?”_ he asked.

“Tony,” Steve said slowly. “Did you really think this through?”

“Of course I didn’t,” Tony said, rolling his eyes and then smiling at Loki in thanks as the other man handed him the coffee pot. “I was drunk _._ ”

“So, get a divorce?” Clint suggested, his voice incredulous. “Isn’t that just… what normal people do?”

Tony shrugged. “Nah,” he said. “Too much effort.”

“Too much… more than staying married?” Clint asked.

“It is not as if anything has to change,” Loki said. He sounded a little bit off, as if he were choosing his words carefully.

“He’s right,” Tony said, curious but not wanting to push while they were surrounded by everyone else. “It’s not like it comes with some kind of obligation, and we’re friends. What difference does it make?”

“What if you want to marry someone else?” Steve spluttered.

“I don’t have any plans to do that anytime soon,” Tony pointed out. Then he glanced to Loki. “Do you?”

“I would not have asked you if I did,” Loki replied– and okay, that made total sense, but it didn’t entirely explain the slight crease to his brow. Still, he smiled when Tony met his gaze– and then glanced back down to his plate. It was then that Tony realised Loki was trying not to look at Thor– Thor, who had yet to say a thing, and was staring at Loki with narrowed eyes.

 _Oh_.

Loki had wanted to do this in the first place to trick the Asgardians, right? What if he was frustrated that Tony had told Thor about how he had only married Loki because he was drunk?

Tony swallowed down the touch of guilt, and turned back to the rest of the group.

“What does it matter to any of you, anyway?” he asked. “We’re married, so what? We don’t mind. Why do you?”

Thankfully, that was enough to send the rest of them glancing back down to their plates. All but Thor, anyway, who was still looking a little suspicious. Tony wondered if Thor thought Loki was using him– which, okay, wasn’t entirely incorrect, but it wasn’t like Loki had been anything other than transparent about what he was doing. It wasn’t a _trick_ , at least, not on him– and the thought that Thor might think so rubbed Tony the wrong way.

So Tony did all that he could think to in that moment. He leaned a little closer and bumped their knees together under the table, then left their legs pressed together in a gesture he hoped was comforting. And when Loki smiled in response, Tony felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest that he hadn’t even realised had been constraining him. It gave Tony the confidence he needed to entwine their fingers as well, leaving them both to eat one handed but with the knowledge that no matter what the others thought, they were secure in their impulsive decision.

Besides, even if Tony hadn’t already made up his mind– their opposition only made him want to remain married to Loki out of spite.

Thor eased up a bit then too, going back to his own food with a gusto that was unrivalled as the table turned back to their usual meal time banter.

After that, it seemed as if the subject was dropped, at least for a while– and when the team dispersed to go about their day, Tony and Loki were left alone. Tony could feel Thor’s gaze on them, but he didn’t say anything, and the pair took the elevator down to the workshop by mutual decision.

Loki stayed with Tony for a while, watching him work and making snarky but still helpful suggestions here and there– but he seemed a little antsy, and when Tony called him out on it, he admitted with a sigh that he would need to leave.

“I must inform Asgard of our union,” Loki said. “It won’t take long now for them to find out, and they should hear about their new prince from me. I’m sure that Thor will wish to come along as well.”

Something thick lodged itself in Tony’s throat, and he swallowed before offering Loki a grin. “Sounds like fun,” he said. “Video their reactions for me?”

“Of course,” Loki smirked. “And once they are aware of you, I should be able to gain permission for you to visit.”

Tony’s smile turned a little more real. “That sounds like fun, actually. Hey, do you think that they would let me—”

“They will not let you anywhere near the Bifröst,” Loki said dryly, not even needing to wait for Tony to finish his sentence. “But I’m sure that with a little seiðr, I’d be able to get you close enough.”

“Awesome,” Tony said. “You’re the absolute _best_ , you know that?”

Tony expected an arrogant quip in response to that, but instead, Loki’s cheeks stained pink, and he averted his gaze. “Yes, well. I must convince them to let you visit first. It should not take me long.”

“Then good luck,” Tony said, still wondering about Loki’s odd reaction. “I’ll see you later?”

“Yes.” Loki seemed to hesitate, then he leaned down and touched his lips to Tony’s cheek before turning on his heel and vanishing in a shimmer of green seiðr.

Tony couldn’t help but stare after him, his hand coming up to touch the warm skin that Loki had just kissed in surprise.

_Huh._

He supposed it shouldn’t come as a shock. They _had_ agreed to stay married, and… well, that came with certain connotations, didn’t it? They had always touched a lot, but given the revelation they had just gifted the Avengers, it was easy to look back at the way Tony had taken Loki’s hand and imagine it in a different light. Maybe… their touches had always meant a little more than Tony had been willing to admit?

Did Tony _want_ it to mean something more?

There was certainly potential, and while it wasn’t something Tony had considered in the past, he couldn’t help but feel a little curious. Tony would have to be blind to even _try_ to deny that Loki was attractive, but it was Loki’s personality that really drew him in, that made him wonder. It wasn’t often that Tony was able to find a person who accepted him for _him_ , completely and utterly.

And the more Tony thought about it… the more he began to think about Loki in that light, the more that he began to want to _try_.

But in that very moment, Loki was off convincing Asgard that their marriage was real, a necessity because it _wasn’t,_ not really– because the whole point had been to play a trick. So Tony tried to push the thought away for now and focused on his work, throwing himself into the nanotech suit that he was trying to perfect.

It allowed him to lose track of time, and he couldn’t say how long it was before he felt the faint but familiar prickle of magic in the air. Tony turned with a smile, glad to greet Loki again– but that quickly turned into a frown when he saw Loki’s frustrated expression.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

“Thor,” Loki muttered, crossing the room and sitting heavily on the couch at the side of the room, resting his elbows on his knees.

“What did he say to you?” Tony put down his tools and got up from the workbench to sit beside Loki instead, his frown deepening even further. “If he thinks that you’re manipulating me, I’ll set him straight—”

“No,” Loki said, his lips turning up into a half smile. “Nothing like that.”

Tony waited for him to elaborate, but it seemed like no further explanation would be forthcoming. So he leaned over and knocked their shoulders together. “Hey. Are you okay?”

Loki nodded.

“Good,” Tony said. “That’s all I care about. If you need to talk, just say, okay? In the meantime, was there anything else?”

“I came to see if you wanted any dinner,” Loki said. “I was going to ask JARVIS to order something.”

“Sounds good,” Tony said. He hadn’t quite finished what he was working on, but it could wait until tomorrow. “Let’s head up to the penthouse, I’ll clean up while you decide what you want to get, yeah?”

Loki nodded, Tony made sure that he hadn’t left anything that was liable to catch on fire or explode, and then they went up to do exactly that. By the time Tony had showered Loki was just collecting the food from where it had been left in the elevator, and then they settled down on the couch to eat.

It was comfortable, _easy_ , just like it always was with Loki. Tony’d had this every night that they had stayed in Malibu, but he hadn’t wanted to hope that it would last when they got back to New York. Yet here they were, leaning together on the couch and flicking noodles at each other as if _nothing had changed_.

Tony couldn’t help but let his eyes linger on Loki’s laugh, his lips turning up at the sight of the way it lightened his whole face. He made it his mission to make Loki laugh as much as possible, and by the end of the night it had become one of the best times he’d spent with another person– and all they had done was talk.

When Loki stood up and began to say goodnight, Tony didn’t even think about it– he just reached out to stop him, acting almost on instinct.

“Where are you going?” Tony asked, catching hold of Loki’s sleeve.

“It’s late,” Loki explained, though he sounded just as reluctant to go as Tony was to let him leave. “We should both get some rest.”

Tony knew that he shouldn’t argue, that Loki was right. Loki had his own rooms, after all, just like all of the other Avengers, but…

“Stay,” Tony said.

Loki’s eyes brightened, though it seemed like he too was not the kind to let himself feel too much hope. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well, we are married,” Tony said, his heart beating a little too fast, though he couldn’t have said why. It was only _Loki_. “It would make sense, wouldn’t it? For us to be on the same floor.”

Loki’s smile was mischievous, though there was something soft in his eyes that made it seem more like he was truly happy, rather than just planning a prank of some kind. “I suppose it would,” he agreed.

There were no further arguments, then. After all, Tony’s bed was more than big enough for them both, and he trusted Loki more than enough to be able to sleep beside him. He hadn’t minded that first night in Malibu, after all. Tony changed into his pyjamas in the bathroom, and Loki retrieved his own with his seiðr. It was a little awkward, at first, as they both climbed under the covers, and they lay there like statues on opposite sides of the bed. Tony _wanted_ to reach out, but he didn’t want to do anything that would make Loki uncomfortable.

But then Tony felt Loki’s hand brush his own, and he decided that it might be worth the risk. He shifted a little closer and turned on his side, and smiled when Loki did the same. Loki’s arm wrapped around Tony’s waist while the other cushioned his head, and Tony relaxed back against Loki’s chest with an easy sigh.

“This is nice,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Loki agreed, his lips brushing lightly over Tony’s bare shoulder.

It was so very comfortable, lying there together, and Tony’s last thought before he drifted off was that it would be so very easy to grow used to it.

—

Over the following days, Tony almost began to find it difficult to believe that he had ever thought marrying Loki was a _bad_ idea, because it very quickly became the best feeling in the world.

If the Avengers noticed a shift in Tony and Loki’s relationship, none of them made any mention of it. Though, despite everything, Tony realised that the way they were acting still had not truly changed. They began spending more time together– Tony found that he didn’t need to be with Loki all the time, but when he was, everything was just _better_. And it wasn’t just that they were seeking each other out in the workshop or for a conversation any more– now that they were both living in the same space, they would find themselves sitting on the same couch, their legs entangled or one lying over the other even while they worked on different things.

It was just… nice, and Tony _liked_ it. He liked having Loki around, and he was sure that Loki liked it, as well. Loki never seemed to grow bored or frustrated with Tony, and his expression would light up with a smile whenever Tony entered a room. 

Every passing moment just made Tony all the surer.

A month in and the Avengers had even stopped giving them odd looks, and even though the media still mentioned them every now and then, the initial storm had long since died down. it felt normal, _right_ , and yet… there was still something missing, and Tony knew that he was not the only one who thought so.

He didn’t know whether it had developed afterward like it had for him, or whether Loki had felt it all along. But either way, Tony had seen the affection in Loki’s gaze, and he had noted the way that Loki’s touches lingered for as long as Tony allowed– which, these days, was always as long as Loki wanted. And whenever he saw that blush stain Loki’s cheeks, or the soft smile that seemed reserved only for Tony, he _knew_ that it was not just him who yearned for something more than what they had already found.

It gave him the confidence to keep going, as well as the hope that if he made a move… it would be accepted.

He just needed to find the right moment.

—

The first time Tony kissed Loki, they were in the kitchen, making dinner. Neither of them were particularly good cooks, and their stubborn and argumentative nature found them often at odds with both the recipe and each other.

But they had managed to create… _something_ that was halfway between a lasagne and cottage pie, and the triumphant grin on Loki’s face as he set the dish on the counter was so bright that Tony couldn’t help himself. He stepped into Loki’s space and slid his hands through Loki’s hair and pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. It was chaste, but Tony lingered for several moments before he opened his eyes and leaned away.

“Why did you do that?” Loki asked, his voice whispery soft.

Tony shrugged. “Because I wanted to,” he replied. “Do I need any other reason?”

Loki’s smile was lighter than Tony had ever seen it, and when he leaned forward to continue the kiss, Tony kissed him back with all the gentleness and affection he possessed.

From that moment, something finally shifted between them, opening up and exposing everything that they were– and Tony had never felt so _happy_.

As time went on, Tony realised that maybe he should have had something of a clue all along, because he and Loki had always acted like a couple. It was only just now that they were admitting it, that they were opening up and exposing the way that they felt. But rather than making Tony feel vulnerable, he instead thought that he might be able to take on the world– something that rather came in handy when Thor cornered Tony in the elevator late one afternoon.

He had hoped that it was a coincidence that Thor jumped in just before the doors had closed, at one of the moments when Tony was alone. But when Thor didn’t give JARVIS a floor, Tony’s suspicions were piqued– and then they were confirmed as Thor began to talk.

“I wish to speak with you about Loki,” Thor said, and Tony immediately began to mentally prepare himself for the worst. He and Loki had done everything a little bit backwards, getting married _before_ they started dating, and he had rather hoped that might have spared him the shovel talk.

Apparently not.

“I can save you the trouble, Thor,” Tony sighed. “I’m not going to hurt Loki.”

“Your marriage was very sudden,” Thor said, his eyes narrowed. “There was not a hint or a suggestion—”

“I’ve told you before that I was drunk when we got married,” Tony cut in defensively– but then he softened slightly as he added– “But that doesn’t change the way that I feel about him.”

Thor cocked his head. “And how _do_ you feel about him?” he asked.

Tony went to answer with righteous honesty, but the words… caught in his throat.

How _did_ he feel about Loki? It wasn’t a difficult question, not really, but the answer wasn’t one he thought he could put into words. _I care about him_ wasn’t strong enough, not even close– and saying that Loki was Tony’s _most important person_ didn’t seem quite right either.

Tony supposed there was _one_ word he could think of that might do the job, but he wasn’t about to say it in front of Thor– not when he hadn’t admitted it yet to the one person that should hear it the most.

Thor had remained quiet while Tony was stuck in his mind, and when Tony glanced back to him with a flustered expression, Thor’s whole countenance softened.

“You make him happier than he has been in a very long time,” Thor said. “Perhaps happier than he has _ever_ been. I worried that you might tear that away, because while I knew that Loki cared deeply for you, I did not believe that you felt the same. I see now that I was wrong.”

Tony blinked, a few things suddenly falling into place. Thor had never been upset because he thought Loki was manipulating Tony– he had been _concerned_ that Loki was going to hurt himself with his decision to marry the person he already yearned for. Well, that was one fear that Tony could help wipe away.

“I’m not going to hurt him,” he repeated firmly.

“I hope that you are right,” Thor said. Tony wanted to argue, because it was clear that Thor still didn’t believe him. But Thor seemed to be debating something, so Tony held his tongue– and was soon glad that he had. “You are mortal,” Thor started. “You understand what that means?”

“Yes,” Tony said, trying to hide the way that stabbed into his gut. “That was why Loki said he wanted to marry me in the first place. He said it would create a scandal, I guess because I would die so long before him.” He tried to keep his voice casual, but from the sympathetic look Thor sent him, he was sure he didn’t quite manage. “Is this going somewhere?”

“As Loki’s husband and a Prince of Asgard, I may offer you one of Iðunn’s apples, should you want it,” Thor said. “Loki could as well, but I doubt that he will– not unless you first assure him that it isn’t something you would immediately reject. I know him, and I know that he would not want to put you in the position where you would have to make that choice.”

 _Because he probably doesn’t believe that I_ would _want it_ , Tony thought, able to easily connect the dots himself. But even as the thought passed through his mind, Tony’s brain stuttered to a halt.

“Hang on,” he said, holding up a hand, his voice laced with disbelief. “You mean, I could live as long as Loki?”

“Yes,” Thor said. “Even in disgrace, he is still a prince, and you are his husband. Even if my father tried to forbid it, mother would not allow Loki to suffer that way, and marriages on Asgard fall under _her_ purview. It is your choice to make, Tony, and I would not wish for you to make the wrong one, whichever that may be.”

It _was_ a tough choice, and it was one that Tony puzzled over even as Thor finally asked that JARVIS drop him off at his floor. If Tony took an apple, he would outlive his friends, but if he didn’t– then Loki would have to watch him grow old and wither away. It was tough enough that he probably could have agonised over it for weeks or months, but… it only took several long minutes of standing in the stalled elevator before he came to a decision. Because if Tony had to pick only one thing in the world that he knew for certain, it would be the fact that he loved Loki with all of his heart.

And with that in mind… was there even really a choice at all?

—

When Tony stepped back into the penthouse, it was to find Loki waiting for him with a steaming mug in his hands and a touch of concern creasing his brow.

“JARVIS told me you were speaking to Thor,” Loki said, handing over the coffee. “I thought that this might help.”

“Thank you,” Tony breathed, downing a heavenly gulp and letting his eyes fall closed for a moment. “You’re right, this is the best.”

“I know,” Loki said. Then he paused for a moment, before asking, “What did Thor want?”

“Oh, not much,” Tony replied. “Just offering me immortality, you know. The normal kind of conversation between brothers-in-law.”

Loki’s eyes widened. “He did what?” he whispered.

“He said he didn’t think that you’d offer,” Tony said, trying to keep his voice casual and quite certain that he was failing.

It seemed like Loki didn’t know how to respond, his eyes wide– and when he did speak, he sounded breathless. “What did you say?”

“I think I want to know something else, first.” Tony shook his head lightly. “He said that you never would have asked me yourself, because you don’t think it’s something that I would want. But… say that it _was_ …” His voice trailed off, and he glanced away, not sure anymore that he wanted the answer.

But then Loki reached out and took Tony’s hand, a question written all over his face– and Tony knew that he couldn’t back out of this. So—

“Would you have offered, then?” Tony asked, his voice feeling small. “Loki, would you… want that?”

Loki looked like he was completely thrown, his eyes wide and his lips parted, as if he couldn’t think of anything to say. Tony didn’t push– he just waited, knowing that it wouldn’t take long. It wasn’t that Loki couldn’t decide, it was that he was surprised Tony had asked the question in the first place.

And sure enough, it was only a few seconds later that his eyes cleared, and he met Tony’s gaze once again.

“Would I offer something that would allow me to be with you for the rest of my life?” Loki asked, sounding breathless. “Anthony, there is nothing that I would want more.”

Tony didn’t waste a moment. He pressed up on his toes and claimed Loki’s lips in a kiss that made them both groan, pulling Loki as close as he could. There was nothing _he_ wanted more than for this to last forever, and in that moment, he knew what he would answer _when_ Loki made that offer.

It made him want to make another gesture, to do something that would be… not a confirmation, or an affirmation, because they didn’t _need_ anything like that. But something to act as a statement, perhaps, something that they could shout from the rooftops.

They had already sworn to have and to hold, till death do us part– but that, at least on some level, had been a façade. Tony wanted something completely real, something to match the new love that they had found between them.

And as Tony thought about the way this had all began, he was struck with the perfect idea.

“Hey Lokes?” Tony asked, pulling away just slightly so that their lips were still ghosting together. “Would you do me a favour?”

“Anything.”

Tony grinned. “Marry me?”

Loki leaned back at that, his eyes assessing, flicking over Tony’s expression for a moment. “We are married already,” he said.

“Yeah, I know,” Tony said. “And while I have absolutely no memory of it, I have to be honest– agreeing to marry you was probably the best decision of my life. But when I agreed then, it was for a prank, and you were my friend. Now, though… I love you. I want to marry you and actually remember doing it.” He smiled, and stroked his thumb over Loki’s cheek. “I want to marry you for _real.”_

“Anthony, my love,” Loki said pulling Tony closer, his lips curving into a bright, honest smile. “Don’t you already know? I will marry you as many times as you want.”

And when they kissed, Tony felt like it was the start of something that would last a very long time to come.


End file.
